This post has been written on behalf of Valpak. Thank you for supporting this site! All opinions are honest and my own. You can read CFO’s full disclosure here.

Los Angeles readers: You should be receiving your Valpak envelope FULL of coupons, if you haven’t already! You probably already know what it looks like:

Here’s some great news: Valpak envelopes now contain grocery savings and coupons for everyday household items, in addition to the household service and restaurant coupons you’re used to seeing. I’ve found coupons for products like Efferdent and Herbal Essences in the past. Currently, some lucky Valpak recipients are getting coupons for $10 off Dr. Scholl’s Custom Fit Orthotic Inserts at Walmart, $0.75/2 Bush’s Variety Beans or Bush’s Chili Beans, and a FREE $20 gift card with purchase of $49 Sam’s Club membership:

Personally, my favorite coupon is the one for $10 off a $30 purchase at Big 5. With two active boys, I’m always spending money there anyway!

Be sure to check out your Valpak coupons and let me know which ones are your favorites!

HP currently has some great offers for Back to School and for small business owners! There’s an HP Small Business Workstation Sale, where you can get 15% off and FREE Shipping on all Workstations with code bizEstreet. {Some restrictions apply. Valid through 9/30/17.} Plus, check out the clickable ad below for even more deals:

Whether or not you’re a student, Back to School season is one of the best times to buy a new computer, printer, and other tech that students need. So if you’re in the market for a new computer or other device, now is the time to be looking for the best deal for your needs.

This post contains affiliate links that help support this site at no additional cost to you. Thank you for using them! All opinions are honest and my own. You can read CFO’s full disclosure here.

There’s also a 6-piece Clinique All-Stars Set for just $10 shipped! That’s a $70 value + FREE shipping, so it’s a great filler if you want to buy something that doesn’t reach the $49 threshold but don’t want to pay for shipping!

The following is a post from Jenna Smith. Consideration was received for the editing and publishing of this post. Thank you for supporting Chief Family Officer!

Being involved in a car crash can be an overwhelming experience. The more severe the collision, the larger obstacles and financial battles you may face. The Association for Safe International Road Travel states 20 to 50 million people are injured or disabled due to car wrecks annually. Being in a wreck with your kids can be extremely alarming. Smaller children may be more susceptible to injury, and this can be a scary time. There are things you should consider doing immediately after an automobile accident occurs. Being aware of the steps you can take after this situation can be helpful.

Check for injuries

The first thing you should do once the crash has occurred is to make certain your kids aren’t severely injured. If any of your kids are in car seats, it’s a good idea to remove your children from these. Additionally, you may want to thoroughly examine each child who is in the car with you.

It’s important to call for emergency medical assistance if your kids have been hurt. This will allow you to obtain the help you need and allow your child’s health to be evaluated by a professional.

Listed below is the information you will want to provide to the dispatcher:

Your full name and phone number.

The address where the accident happened and any details you can provide regarding the collision.

If there were any severe injuries, and the degree of medical urgency in this situation.

Obtain financial reimbursement

There’s no doubt that a car accident can take its toll on your wallet. There are many potential financial losses you may encounter and working to recover your money is essential.

The cost of medical bills, time lost from work, and damage to your vehicle can be both significant and overwhelming. You may need to rely on the advice and expertise of a personal injury attorney to assist you with getting this money back.

You will want to keep all of your receipts for having the best chance of building a strong case. These will be presented during the discovery stage of a lawsuit and could be the key to receiving compensation for your losses.

Remain calm

The hardest thing to do after a crash is to stay calm. It’s human nature to feel emotionally overwhelmed and to let your nerves get the best of you.

However, this is the last thing you should do for your well-being and that of your kids. Children are very sensitive to the vibes you give off, and this is true right after an accident has occurred.

Take deep breaths and work to avoid letting your emotions get the best of you by believing you will get through the situation. This is the best thing you can do for you and your kids when a collision occurs.

It’s also important to replace a car seat after it’s been in a moderate to serious vehicle collision. However, the car seat can be kept if the accident was minor.

Tell other family members

It’s important to let people in your life know that you’ve been in an accident. You don’t want others to relay the news to your loved ones and doing so yourself may reduce the stress this news can bring.

Knowing what to do after an accident has happened can be extremely helpful. You may not be thinking as clearly as you usually do and it’s important to know how to make a stressful situation better. This is especially the case when you have children involved and want to ensure the health and well-being of your entire family. Taking it one step at a time and keeping your cool is important to get through this challenging situation with less anxiety.

The following is a post from Jenna Smith. Consideration was received for the editing and publishing of this post. Thank you for supporting Chief Family Officer!

When it comes to selling your home, there is a definite list of dos and don’ts for how to squeeze more value from your investment.

You want the biggest selling price you can get, right? Here are a few tips on what works to raise the value, and what does not:

Paint the house

The rule of thumb is to paint the house if it truly needs it – if the paint is actually peeling off the woodwork. And consider painting if the previous owner or if you happen to have – in a moment of madness – decided to paint the living room pumpkin orange or completely in black.

What you want are neutral colors. Remember that expression, “one man’s masterpiece is another man’s migraine headache.” OK, I just made that up. But you shouldn’t expect the potential buyer walking in your door to love your color scheme. So just go with off-whites for walls and white ceilings and leave the rest alone. You might have slight tints in some rooms, but don’t over-reach.

Clean Up Clutter

Just like when you sell your car, cleaning up is the quickest – and cheapest – way to add value to your home. Or at least preventing a potential buyer from deducting value. It’s just human nature. A lot of clutter makes it seem like you are buying a mess. If the place is clean and clutter-free, it appears you are buying a place with potential.

Refurbish

If you can only refurbish one area, try to focus on the kitchen. That’s the room that home buyers fall in love with or don’t, and it’s also the area that has the most viable new options in any given year. In other words, homeowners tend to leave their kitchens alone for too long, while modern times push ahead and really change a buyer’s expectations. If you don’t have new appliances, new cabinets, and new floors, your kitchen might look shabby when compared to a newer home.

The warning for kitchen re-dos is the chance of leaving it to the last minute. Make sure that the kitchen is not half-done when the first buyer shows up. On their website, Gilman’s Kitchen Plus Baths (at gkandb.com) recommends finding a contractor who guarantees the completion date, or you could be stuck trying to sell a construction site instead of a home with a snazzy kitchen.

Roofs

Roofs are one area where you should keep your money in your pocket and not spend just before you sell. Simply put, roofs are expensive and it will be hard to get your investment back if you spend just before putting your home up for sale.

The better bet is to raise the price of your home, then agree to a reduction if the buyer complains that the roof needs replacement. This way, you can offer to share the cost of the new roof with the new buyer and come off sounding fair and even generous.

Septic Systems

This is another no-win situation. People expect a septic system to work and don’t believe they have to pay more for it.

That said, concrete septic system tanks last approximately 40 years, so if you can’t remember when it was installed or don’t know, and you’ve raised a family in your current home, well, you do the math. The new owners might have to replace the tank or at least have it pumped. Still, it’s just one of those out-of-sight-out-of-mind issues nobody wants to think about.

Landscaping

It may be ironic, but the cosmetic touches have a much better return on the dollar if you want to sell your home. This includes putting in a new walkway to the front door and putting a new lighting fixture on the porch or near the driveway. Fresh flowers are a great bargain for anyone about to sell. Flowers in bloom cost a few hundred dollars or less – and they make the house look like a million bucks.

Swimming pools

Swimming pools can add immediate value to a home, but the idea can backfire. Older buyers without children might see a pool as a nuisance – a chore and an expense that they don’t want. They may also be facing higher insurance bills. Pools can be a blessing for some buyers – but they have to be functional, clean, attractive. Otherwise, they are seen as a chore and a liability.